2022 Annual Report
WITH COURAGE AND INNOVATION
DRIVING ALBERTA FORWARD
INTRODUCING OUR NEW VISION STATEMENT
APEGA Council and executive leadership mapped a path to the future, joining to create our new vision statement:
Driving Alberta forward with courage and innovation
This initiative—championed by Past-President Brian Pearse , P.Eng., FEC— focused on finding a single statement to encapsulate the future APEGA wishes to see in Alberta. Approved in January 2022, the new statement galvanizes APEGA’s commitment to challenge the status quo, remain relevant in an ever-changing global landscape, and face the challenges of the future through courage and innovation.
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CONTENTS
6 8
Message from the President
Message from the Registrar & CEO
Trust & Relevance 36 Our Membership 38 Branches 40 The How of Wow 44 Member Achievements 46 Member Benefits & Discounts 47 Volunteering 52 Mentoring & Networking 53 Milestones to Remember 54 Summit Awards 56 Equity, Diversity & Inclusion 58 Outreach 60 Ivan Finlay Leadership Award 61 Sponsorships
Regulatory Excellence 12 Regulatory Trends 14 Membership Trends
16 Application Processing Times 17 Fair Registration Practices Act 18 Examinations 20 Continuing Professional Development
21 Practice Standards 22 Practice Reviews
24 Investigations 26 Compliance
28 Discipline 29 Appeals 30 Professional Development 32 Digital Signatures
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Performance Culture 64 New Calgary Office 65 Employee Diversity & Retention 66 Engineering Day of Caring 68 Information Technology 69 Annual General Meeting 70 Council Members 72 Council Nomination Process Boards & Committees 74 Council 75 Appeal Board
Financial Statements 80 Independent Auditor’s Report on the Summary Financial Statements 81 Summary Financial Statements 82 Notes to Summary Financial Statements
76 Board of Examiners 77 Discipline Committee 78 In Memoriam
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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Lisa Doig , P.Eng., MBA, FEC, FGC (Hon.)
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APEGA’s new vision statement puts into words what we, as a regulator, and the province’s engineering and geoscience professionals have been doing for more than a century: Driving Alberta forward with courage and innovation . It’s a simple but powerful declaration that articulates where we’re heading and how we’ll get there. For me, courage is about challenging conventional thinking , imagining new possibilities, and doing what’s right—even when it might not be easy or popular. Innovation is a mindset that drives big ideas forward from concept to completion.
To ensure the continuity and sustainability of Council itself, we also created descriptions outlining the roles and responsibilities for our president, president-elect, vice- president, and past-president executive positions. These descriptions will provide newly elected executives with knowledge of their roles prior to their first day, resulting in more efficient and effective governance. INCREASING THE PROFILE OF OUR PROFESSIONS I was fortunate to travel across the province visiting APEGA’s 10 branches, meeting with registrants, permit holders, and our branch volunteers. It was an opportunity to share APEGA’s initiatives with them and—equally important—hear their feedback and suggestions. Bringing the industry perspective to APEGA was a key priority for me. I had the opportunity to tour some amazing engineering and geoscience projects in local communities. Among these developments were a vital new commuter bridge in Peace River, an innovative and picturesque water-treatment plant on the banks of Cold Lake, and a massive potato-processing facility in Coaldale that uses state-of-the-art sensors. APEGA professionals contribute significantly to Alberta’s economic success and greatly enhance our quality of life. Yet, we aren’t always front of mind when public decisions are made involving engineering or geoscience. Another of my priorities was to highlight to policy-making officials our membership’s expertise. It’s important to have their technical and project knowledge around the table when new initiatives— especially those that impact all Albertans—are being developed. DRIVING ALBERTA FORWARD I started volunteering with APEGA’s Central Alberta Branch early in my career, so serving as APEGA’s president was a truly gratifying, full-circle experience. I believe it’s important to put your hand up to lead or volunteer. I see examples of APEGA registrants doing this every day, as courageous innovative leaders and as volunteers whose dedication and enthusiasm help make APEGA’s regulatory and professional sustainability work possible. We are doing our part to make sure professional engineers, professional geoscientists, APEGA, and Alberta are set for the future.
Courage drives innovation. Innovation takes courage.
Professional engineers and geoscientists have long been courageous, innovative leaders. We use our creativity and resourcefulness—often doing more with less—to find solutions to society’s biggest challenges. We continually seek new and better ways to make our lives easier, safer, and healthier, and to create a more environmentally sustainable world. BUILDING A RISK MINDSET APEGA is also taking decisive steps to drive Alberta forward. The risks facing APEGA and our registrants are complex and constantly shifting. Although we don’t always know what’s going to happen next, it is within our power to look ahead and prepare for any challenges that might affect our regulatory functions and our registrants. One of my top priorities as APEGA’s 103rd president was to ensure Council understood and incorporated strategic risk management into our culture and everyday decision-making processes. I’m referring to risks such as preparing for the emergence of new engineering and geoscience fields, such as robotics and artificial intelligence, and ensuring APEGA has the tools and ability to efficiently regulate them. Over the past year, Council: • created risk-appetite statements that defined the amount and type of risk APEGA is prepared to accept •established a Strategy and Risk Committee to integrate risk and strategy into Council discussions as we look to the future of APEGA and our professions
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MESSAGE FROM THE REGISTRAR & CEO
Jay Nagendran, P.Eng., FCAE, ICD.D, FEC, FGC (Hon.)
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As the past few years have reminded us, change is inevitable, at times unexpected, and often fast moving. You can either embrace change or try to fight it.
EMBRACING ORGANIZATIONAL TRANSFORMATION APEGA made many adjustments to help us endure the pandemic, including working from home. Our staff performed with excellence, steadily enhancing our work as a regulator and ensuring we remained on course. That’s why—after a safe and gradual transition back to our offices this spring—we introduced a new hybrid work model. Employees can work remotely for up to 50 per cent of each month. They work at the office for the remainder. I’m confident this flexible work model will position APEGA for future success, keeping employees engaged, productive, and happy. Another big move took place in Calgary as we settled in to a newly renovated office space. We’re still downtown, but the new location offers us a bigger, more modern space at a lower rate than our previous lease. It will help us meet our staff and registrant needs for years to come. DRIVING ALBERTA FORWARD WITH COURAGE AND INNOVATION It’s only seven words, but our new vision statement clearly conveys—to our registrants, staff, Albertans, and even the world—what APEGA aspires to achieve. We demonstrate courage and innovation through our everyday actions. For me, this means going beyond our regulatory mandate. By taking a holistic approach to engineering and geoscience governance, we’ll keep our professions relevant and develop future-ready leaders.
At APEGA, we choose the former.
We are forging a path of continual evolution to become a more impactful engineering and geoscience regulator. We’ve enhanced how we do business so we can protect public interest more rigorously, better support our membership, and become a more valued employer. This annual report highlights important changes we’ve made over the past year to reinforce our ongoing regulatory and organizational transformation.
ADVANCING REGULATORY TRANSFORMATION
APEGA’s efforts to update our governing legislation—a project almost a decade in the making—inched closer to reality in 2022 when the provincial government introduced Bill 23, the Professional Governance Act . This proposed legislation would govern APEGA and 21 other professional regulatory organizations in Alberta under one act. We focused a lot of our attention this year on preparing for the new legislation. At the same time, APEGA’s Council, volunteers, senior leadership, and staff kept sight of our existing mandate, under the Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act , to keep Albertans safe by proactively regulating our professions. We updated our application review processes to expedite licensing approvals and meet timelines required by the provincial government. Big strides in other areas included streamlining permit holder reviews, updating our practice standards and guidelines, and enhancing our virtual registrant and permit holder portals. We also signed a joint letter, with other Canadian regulators, calling for the continued protection of engineering titles from technology industry violations. This partnership with engineering and geoscience regulators across Canada is important for continued consistency and interprovincial mobility for our registrants.
That’s something APEGA does very well.
Our K-12 and post-secondary outreach programs support the professional engineers and geoscientists of tomorrow. We offer professional development to our registrants to help them grow and thrive. Equity, diversity, and inclusion in our professions advance through our strategic initiatives to reduce barriers and create opportunities for all. To drive Alberta forward, we need to focus on the road ahead. Our route may change along the way, but we will keep moving in the right direction. We will strive to continuously improve all that we do.
Join me for the ride—it’s going to be an incredible journey.
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REGULATORY EXCELLENCE As a leader in self-regulation, APEGA employs robust, proactive, and responsive systems, ensuring the protection of the public and the compliance of our registrants.
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The professions prepare for new legislation REGULATORY TRENDS WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE: We recognize and address emerging issues affecting our professions and our ability to self-regulate.
The provincial government introduced Bill 23, the Professional Governance Act (PGA) , in May 2022. •If passed, Bill 23 will repeal and replace the governing legislation of 22 professional regulatory organizations (PROs)—including the Engineering and Geoscience Professions (EGP) Act —into a single governance framework. •The proposed legislation contains a generic act and general regulations relevant to these 22 PROs, in addition to profession-specific schedules and significant bylaw changes. In preparation for the proposed legislation, APEGA conducted an in-depth analysis of our procedures in 2022 to ensure a timely response to any developments. Although the legislative session ended before Bill 23 could pass, we continued to work with government representatives to identify the potential impacts of the PGA on our current regulatory processes. Modernized legislation will enable APEGA to regulate our professions more effectively and continue protecting public safety in Alberta. •In 2014, we began extensive, multi-year legislative renewal consultations. •In 2019, along with the Association of Science and Engineering Technology Professionals of Alberta (ASET), we submitted more than 160 regulatory recommendations to the province. ASET is also governed by the EGP Act . › The PGA includes many of these recommendations, including increased fines for unskilled or unprofessional conduct. These legislative changes would move APEGA’s regulatory standards into the 21st century and ensure world-class practice and safety standards continue to remain a crucial part of the engineering and geoscience professions.
May 2022
› Government of Alberta introduces Bill 23, the Professional Governance Act , during the spring legislative session. › The act passes its second reading.
October 2022
› The fall legislative session ends prior to Bill 23 passing all of the required review stages.
November 2022
“As the regulator for engineering and geoscience, APEGA looks forward to working with the Government of Alberta to achieve the goals of this new legislation. We fully support the government’s commitment to increasing accountability and enhancing the governance of professional regulatory organizations to further support the public interest and public safety.” › Premier Danielle Smith mandates Skilled Trades and Professions Minister Kaycee Madu to continue working on a common governance model for the 22 PROs.
– Jay Nagendran, P.Eng., APEGA registrar and chief executive officer
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PROTECTING THE USE OF TITLES, INCLUDING SOFTWARE ENGINEER The term engineer —including software engineer —comes with a licensed and ethical set of responsibilities and accountabilities. Use of this title has always been protected to reduce risk to public safety. With ongoing technology advancements, including artificial intelligence and software, public safety continues to be paramount.
There is an ongoing need to regulate software engineering and use of the engineering title.
“You would not want someone to operate on you in the province if they are not licensed by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta. By that same token, you do not want someone designing your pacemaker or self-driving car if they are not a licensed engineer. That puts people’s lives at risk—something APEGA takes very seriously.”
APEGA and other Canadian regulators remain unified in our efforts to stop reserved- title infractions in the technology industry. •In August, we signed a joint statement with 11 other Canadian engineering regulators and Engineers Canada to reinforce the position that use of engineering titles, including software engineer and computer engineer , must be restricted to licensed engineers. •We are working with the Alberta government and the technology industry to find common ground to protect public safety, grow our economy, and ensure professionals who use the title engineer are accountable and regulated.
– Jay Nagendran, P.Eng., APEGA registrar and chief executive officer
DID YOU KNOW?
› Computer and software engineering are among more than 100 distinct disciplines of engineering. › APEGA has many licensed professionals who are software engineers. Without all software engineers being licensed, the public would have no way to know if someone using the title software engineer was professionally regulated or not.
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Alberta is home to more than 68,000 engineering and geoscience professionals. These APEGA registrants are an innovative and skilled workforce driving our province, and its economy, forward. WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE: Our members are recognized for their professional expertise and contributions to society. MEMBERSHIP TRENDS
*Numbers for 2021 have been updated to include all application types. Some application types were not included in the 2021 annual report.
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From new graduates to new Canadians, an APEGA licence is a critical first step to starting or continuing their engineering or geoscience careers in Alberta. We are committed to processing every application honestly, equally, and as timely as possible. All applications undergo a comprehensive, transparent, and objective review to ensure registrants have the education, experience, English-language competency, good character, and professional knowledge required for professional practice.
DID YOU KNOW?
› For the past 10 years,
APEGA has been the only engineering and geoscience regulator in Canada to have a full-time international qualifications officer to provide guidance and support to newcomers on our application process and licensing requirements. › At the request of local
PREMIER’S SUMMIT ON FAIRNESS FOR NEWCOMERS
immigrant-serving agencies, we gave 35 information
As part of our commitment to fair and timely recognition of foreign credentials, APEGA staff was pleased to be part of the first Premier’s Summit on Fairness for Newcomers on February 16. The summit brought together immigration stakeholders from across Alberta to explore actions we can take to better support newcomer success and drive economic growth. Among the topics discussed were best practices and improvements in foreign qualification recognition and licensing.
presentations in 2022 explaining our licensing requirements to potential registrants. We have also made about 15 presentations to permit holders. › Our website contains detailed information explaining our
application process and licensing requirements.
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As Alberta’s engineering and geoscience regulator, it is our responsibility to issue fair and timely application decisions that protect public safety. We are continuing to improve our application processing times to meet provincial government timelines required by the Fair Registration Practices Act. The Fair Registration Practices Act, proclaimed in 2020, aims to simplify and accelerate foreign credential recognition in Alberta. •Regulators must provide applicants with an interim decision on their application status within 180 days of a complete application submission. •In 2022, we made interim decisions on 91.6 per cent of all applications (excluding interprovincial mobility transfer applications) within the six-month time frame. APPLICATION PROCESSING TIMES
Interim decisions made on 91.6% of all applications within six months A total of 4,477 applications decided on in 2022
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FAIR REGISTRATION PRACTICES ACT
OUR COMMITMENT TO CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT All membership applications are reviewed by the APEGA Board of Examiners (BOE), a volunteer board comprising APEGA professionals and three government-appointed public members. Applications are diverse and often complex. Since 2019, APEGA has made various changes to significantly reduce our application processing timelines by optimizing our processes and resources: •We are continually recruiting new BOE volunteers to review applications. •We use a risk-based approach to review applications: › APEGA staff sends out decisions for straightforward applications once a review is completed in accordance with BOE policies and practices, rather than waiting for the monthly BOE meeting (reducing the average processing time for these applications by about six weeks). › Complex applications are discussed at the monthly BOE meetings. •APEGA professional staff, overseen by the BOE, helps conduct academic assessments. •The BOE refuses applications with significant academic deficiencies, ensuring BOE resources are used efficiently and resulting in more timely decisions for all applicants. •Five additional permanent staff members have been added to the Registration Department since 2020. •Academics and experience are now reviewed at the same time for many applications, which helps reduce the overall review time. •Improved monitoring software identifies applications approaching the 180-day deadline, so they can be given additional attention to move them through the process. •Improved IT support to the Registration Department has reduced delays with individual applications.
COMPETENCY-BASED ASSESSMENT: PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS Introduced in 2018, competency-based assessment (CBA) helps us: •Objectively evaluate each applicant’s ability to perform fundamental engineering tasks (geoscience applicants are evaluated using a different process). •Reduce barriers for applicants who gained their work experience outside Canada. APEGA engaged an independent consultant in 2022 to evaluate the overall CBA framework. Following their recommendations, and starting in 2023, we will improve our CBA tool by simplifying written content to provide greater clarity— for applicants, staff, and examiners—on required competencies and indicators.
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NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE EXAM For the third year in a row, we administered a record number of National Professional Practice Exams (NPPEs). A total of 11,310 candidates registered to take the exam. EXAMINATIONS
NUMBER OF APPLICANTS REGISTERED TO TAKE THE NPPE (2008–2022) Partner Regulators APEGA
4,831
5,401
5,838
5,776
5,848
6,648
7,162
2,924
2,026
2,150
2,034
2,129
1,618
4,622
1,338
4,238
3,814
3,783
3,688
3,647
3,493
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
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We are able to meet the demand for more exams without extra staffing by developing scalable, defensible processes and systems that easily accommodate growth. DID YOU KNOW?
The NPPE tests applicants’ knowledge of professionalism, law, regulations, and ethics. APEGA develops and oversees the NPPE for 13 partner regulators across Canada that, like us, require engineering and geoscience applicants to pass the exam before they can become licensed. The record-setting growth is due, in part, to the recent adoption of the NPPE by other regulators, including Professional Engineers Ontario and the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Saskatchewan.
11,310
7,581
6,071
5,766
4,341
3,565
8,288
9,215
9,699
7,814
7,140
3,035
2,321
2,437
4,546
2,184
3,750
3,329
2,601
2,157
1,611
1,401
1,148
964
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
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CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Lifelong learning is at the core of our mandatory Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Program. APEGA professionals must continually maintain or increase their skills and knowledge to meet the ever-changing demands of the future—and their commitment to public safety.
LICENSURE ADMINISTRATION Former and existing licensed professionals must apply to APEGA if they want to resume practice, reinstate their registration, or reactivate their registration. To ensure safe and competent practice, 69 per cent of reinstatement and resume-practice applications included at least one practice restriction or condition.
We introduced a new activity-based CPD reporting tool with last year’s launch of myAPEGA, our online registrant portal. •All registrants transitioned to activity- based CPD reporting by June 30. •Registrants began submitting their CPD hours, starting in phases, in December. We provided increased support to registrants throughout the myAPEGA CPD reporting and submission transitions. SPECIAL CONSIDERATION Professionals who were unable to meet the minimum CPD requirements due to an extenuating circumstance were able to apply to have their CPD requirements reduced.
128 reactivations (former registrants with a short registration lapse approved for reactivated registration)
858 Applications
148 resume practice (non-practising registrants approved to resume practice)
Total Referrals 702 of these special-consideration requests in 2022. We approved
582 reinstatements (former registrants approved for reinstated registration)
16 64 referrals for potential violations of the referrals for corporate practice reviews Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act
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PRACTICE STANDARDS
We publish practice standards, bulletins, guidelines, and frequently asked questions to help APEGA registrants make informed, safe, and ethical decisions. Publications are continually developed and updated to reflect evolving societal and professional expectations for conduct and competency in engineering and geoscience.
NEW PUBLICATIONS Practice Standard
JOINT PRACTICE PUBLICATIONS How APEGA and ABSA Legislations Interact •APEGA collaborated with the Alberta Boilers Safety Association, with support from Alberta Municipal Affairs, to answer frequently asked questions about how pressure equipment regulations in the Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act and the Pressure Equipment Safety Regulation interact. National Building Code (Alberta Edition) Schedules User Guide •APEGA collaborated with the Alberta Association of Architects, with support from Alberta Municipal Affairs and the Safety Codes Council, to create a user guide to help engineers, architects, and licensed interior designers understand and apply significant changes to the National Building Code (Alberta Edition) Schedules .
Professional Practice Management Plan •This standard outlines the requirements for
creating and maintaining Professional Practice Management Plans and managing the practices of engineering and geoscience. Practice Guideline Field Reviews of Engineering and Geoscience Work •This guideline provides recommendations for conducting proper field reviews of engineering and geoscience work products during their implementation or construction.
REVISED PUBLICATIONS Practice Guideline Ethical Practice
•This guideline examines fundamental principles of ethics and describes how registrants should make judgements in a manner consistent with the values and standards of their profession. Practice Guideline Selecting Engineering and Geoscience Consultants •This guideline outlines the qualifications-based selection process for evaluating and selecting engineering or geoscience consultants.
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PRACTICE REVIEWS
Practice reviews are conducted in the spirit of learning and progress. They help permit holders improve their practice, enhance self-regulation, and lead to a safer Alberta.
STEP BY STEP Permit holders enter the GRAPH system at one stage and move up or down based on their level of compliance with APEGA requirements. Employing a risk-based assessment enables us to allocate resources more effectively and efficiently, resulting in more permit holder reviews. Level 1: Data review of selected compliance criteria Level 2: Desktop review and rating using a scorecard to assess compliance Level 3: More thorough evaluation that includes a project review and meetings with Responsible Members and leadership
We continue to optimize our Graduated Risk Assessment of Permit Holders (GRAPH) evaluation process with the goal of performing more reviews. This streamlined approach has increased effectiveness while reducing the cost per review by 80 per cent. The GRAPH process, introduced in 2021, ensures APEGA permit holders—companies and sole practitioners licensed to practise engineering or geoscience in Alberta—are meeting professional standards, complying with regulations, and fulfilling ethical obligations. •We introduced a series of Level 1 compliance reviews based on specific compliance criteria. We engaged with non-compliant permit holders to ensure they met regulations. •Level 2 scorecards have become a useful tool for efficiently evaluating a broad set of permit holder compliance requirements. This is a desktop review of the permit holder’s Professional Practice Management Plan, authenticated work product examples, a questionnaire, and the good-standing status of their professional workforce.
Level 4: Detailed or scope-specific review
Level 5: Follow-up review to ensure implementation of compliance requirements
Employing a risk-based assessment enables us to allocate resources more effectively and efficiently, resulting in more permit holder reviews.
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NUMBER OF REVIEWS COMPLETED BY TYPE
300
L1 Reviews
L2 Scorecard L3 L4 L5 Other Reviews
258
199
200
100
49
23
20
5
0
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
Note: APEGA introduced GRAPH system Level 2, Level 3, and Level 4 reviews in 2021 after practical development late in 2020. Level 1 reviews were introduced in late 2022. Prior to 2020, the majority of practice reviews were detailed on-site reviews, which are captured under the current Level 4 review category. “Other” reviews are those conducted by APEGA’s other regulatory business areas, including Compliance, Investigations, and Discipline. They are typically aligned with the Level 4 GRAPH category. All GRAPH reviews undergo a Level 5 follow-up review to assess improvement and alignment.
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Registrants and permit-holding companies are expected to practise competently and ethically. To protect public safety, APEGA thoroughly investigates all written complaints alleging unskilled practice or unprofessional conduct. INVESTIGATIONS
Staff investigators, including former law enforcement officers and mediators, assist our Investigative Committee by gathering the facts of each case fairly and objectively. Professional engineers and geoscientists who volunteer on the committee make all decisions on how to proceed with each complaint.
If they find sufficient evidence, the Investigative Committee refers allegations to our Discipline Committee for a formal hearing. The number of formal hearings referrals dropped to just one in 2022 from a high of 11 in 2019. This is due to an increase in negotiated settlements between registrants and the Investigative Committee.
INVESTIGATIONS ACTIVITY BY YEAR Newly Opened Closed In Progress
77
62
69
84
54
49
54
59
42
53
64
61
49
44
38
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
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DID YOU KNOW?
DEFINITIONS Discipline Hearing: The Investigative Committee has referred the matter to the Discipline Committee for a formal hearing. Mediated: The Investigative Committee has approved the mediated agreement between the parties. RDO (Recommended Discipline Order): The registrant has admitted to unskilled practice, unprofessional conduct, or both, and has agreed to specific sanctions. Terminated: The Investigative Committee has determined the complaint was either frivolous or vexatious, or there was insufficient evidence of unskilled practice, unprofessional conduct, or both. Withdrawn: The complainant has either withdrawn or abandoned the complaint.
PROTECTING THE PUBLIC DURING PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATIONS During an investigation, the Investigative Committee may restrict or suspend a registrant’s right to practise until a decision is reached. •Although the committee didn’t impose any interim suspensions in 2022, it restricted the scope of practice of five registrants, pending the investigation outcomes. The committee and the registrants mutually agreed on these voluntary undertakings. Cases in progress that were carried over each year were reduced to 54 in 2022 f rom 69 in 2021 , representing a reduction in our case backlog. Investigated allegations were up 20 per cent to 183 in 2022 from 153 in 2021 (each case may contain more than one allegation) .
HOW CASES ARE CLOSED
Terminated
23
25
27
31
29
RDO
11
10
9
18
15
Withdrawn
13
3
1
7
4
Discipline Hearing
5
11
5
3
1
Mediated
2
0
0
0
4
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
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WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE: We protect the public from unlicensed practice of engineering and geoscience and unauthorized use of our professional titles. COMPLIANCE
To maintain the public’s trust in the professions, we take action to stop unlicensed people and businesses from claiming to be APEGA professionals or from practising engineering or geoscience in our province.
DID YOU KNOW?
Only individuals licensed by APEGA can practise engineering or geoscience in Alberta or use protected designations such as P.Eng. and P.Geo. Likewise, only companies with an APEGA Permit to Practice can carry out engineering or geoscience work in Alberta or use words such as engineering or geoscience in their corporate titles.
Most violations are resolved without going to court. In 2022, we closed 98.6 per cent of compliance cases without litigation.
OVERVIEW OF COMPLIANCE CASES
Cases referred to court 4
Outstanding cases 499
Cases closed 589
Active cases 104
Cases with legal counsel, pending court action 4
RISK CATEGORIES OF OUTSTANDING CASES
46%
47%
7%
Low risk (little inconvenience or impact to the public)
Medium risk (potential disruption to business)
High risk (likelihood of significant public harm)
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CASE CLOSURE
589
2022
515
2021
534
2020
425
2019
346
2018
HOW CASES WERE CLOSED
230
1
1
3
43
56
63
192
Practice review
Trade name
No jurisdiction
Corporate registration
Ceased to violate
Not practising
Permit issued
Insufficient evidence
CASE CLOSURE (By Risk Category)
REDUCTION OF HIGH-RISK CASES
Low risk
Medium risk
High risk
17%
110
589 total
252
10%
8%
7%
227
*57% of the cases closed in 2022 were in the high- and medium- risk categories.
2020 2021 2022 2023
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DISCIPLINE
Albertans expect engineering and geoscience professionals to keep them safe by meeting rigorous technical, ethical, and professional standards.
When registrants fail to meet their obligations—for example, by designing unsafe buildings, fraudulently billing their clients, or using an engineering or geoscience stamp illegally—we hold them accountable. APEGA and the registrant or company being investigated may agree to a recommended disciplinary order (RDO), which summarizes facts and recommends appropriate discipline.
A formal hearing is held if an investigated registrant or company does not agree to an RDO. At the hearing, a panel including professional engineers, professional geoscientists, or both, reviews evidence and determines what discipline, if any, is appropriate. Disciplinary decisions are published on our website to enhance transparency, build public confidence in our professions, and educate registrants about expected conduct.
DISCIPLINE STATISTICS
27 total Publications
30 total Sanctions
44 total Sanctions
Publications
39% Fines and hearing cost issued 23% Letters of reprimand issued 20% Total courses 9% Potential restricted practice 7% Restricted Practice Overall Hearing Sanction Monitoring
Overall RDO Monitoring
81% Recommended discipline orders 19% Hearings
36.5% Total courses
36.5% Potential restricted practice 17% Disclosures to jurisdictions 10% Fines issued
2% Referrals to
professional practice
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APPEALS
Applicants, complainants, and registrants can appeal registration refusals, investigation terminations, and discipline decisions made by APEGA’s statutory boards and committees. Often, appeals relate to decisions regarding unskilled practice or unprofessional conduct. Appeal Board panels, consisting of professional engineers and geoscientists, hear each appeal and decide if the boards or committees used a fair process and made a reasonable decision.
Appeals
Cases closed 13
Cases opened 10
Cases in progress 3
Average days to render a decision 173
Decision Outcomes
Upheld 7
Withdrawn 4
Modified 2
Overturned 0
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How do carbon credits work? What are the best ways to bring advanced technology products to market? How can we build our mental health together? PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE: We equip registrants with the understanding of their ethical and regulatory obligations, and the tools to practise within the framework of self-regulation.
Regulatory Non-Regulatory SESSIONS
We hosted conferences, webinars, and discussion panels covering these topics—and many others—throughout the year. Our professional development opportunities equip professionals with future-ready skills and knowledge and help them meet APEGA’s mandatory continuing education requirements. Expanded virtual delivery has boosted professional development participation and accessibility, with attendees joining in from urban and rural Alberta, from across Canada, and internationally. •We introduced free, on-demand access to past online professional development, enabling learning to take place any time, from anywhere. •We hosted more expert-led technical
SESSION TYPES
91 total
92 total
41 total
12
29
57
34
48
44
SESSION ATTENDEES
3,289
7,244
8,254
4,580
4,646
sessions, building on our career development, employment, and regulatory offerings.
3,674
1,089 2,200
2,598
2020
2021
2022
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“My recurring theme in life is: How can I contribute to the quality of life for as many people as possible in a sustainable way?”
– Col. Chris Hadfield , professional engineer and APEGA Nexus keynote speaker
APEGA NEXUS 2022: ADVANCE AND ASPIRE
Our second virtual APEGA Nexus conference in June brought together new and seasoned professional engineers and geoscientists for two days of expert-led sessions on industry innovation, technical competence, and regulation in Alberta. Participation nearly doubled, with more than 1,300 live and on-demand attendees signing in. Three exciting and motivating keynote speakers were among the conference highlights. •Astronaut and professional engineer Col. Chris Hadfield provided inspiration and guidance on managing through complexity and change. •Teacher, researcher, and science outreach educator Dr. Maydianne CB Andrade explored the effects of unconscious bias in the workplace. •Former Alberta Energy minister Murray Smith offered insight into future oil and gas development and worldwide opportunities for visionary professionals.
“Excellent conference—the range of topics was phenomenal, with many very interesting, highly motivating speakers. I also appreciate the virtual format,
as it keeps costs down and makes it easier to attend.”
– APEGA Nexus attendee
APEGA Nexus included participants from New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, India, and the United States.
1,306 139 On-demand
1,167 Live-event attendees
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DIGITAL SIGNATURES
One in five APEGA registrants now use a digital signature to authenticate their professional work products, with about 70 per cent of them adopting the technology in the past three years.
• In a virtual world, secure digital signatures are essential to ensuring public safety by
The pandemic accelerated digital signature use, with more professionals collaborating on projects remotely and more clients requesting digital-only documents. Many are finding that digital documents are easier and less expensive to share and store. •Traditionally, engineering and geoscience professionals have printed, stamped, and hand- signed their professional work documents. This authentication means a licensed APEGA professional has completed or reviewed the engineering or geoscience work and takes responsibility for it.
guaranteeing the integrity of signed documents, preventing their falsification, and proving the signer is registered with APEGA.
921
718
338
CUMULATIVE ACTIVE DIGITAL SIGNATURES SINCE 2011
54
2011
2012
2013
2014
Total Active Digital Signatures
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11,104
9,507
DIGITAL SIGNATURE REVIEW At APEGA’s annual general meeting in April, a registrant submitted a resolution requesting a review of APEGA’s digital signature process . Our detailed analysis found that Notarius—our third-party digital signature provider since 2010— remains the only recognized certificate authority to meet our requirements for an efficient, cost- effective, and trusted digital signature software.
7,973
3,301
2,310
1,645
1,426
1,146
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
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TRUST & RELEVANCE As a trusted organization, APEGA is recognized by our members
and stakeholders for the value our professional community delivers.
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WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE: Our members are engaged and clearly understand the value that APEGA delivers. They are proud of the APEGA brand. OUR MEMBERSHIP APEGA welcomed 2,014 new members in 2022, although our overall membership continued to decline, falling by 1,293 registrants to 68,925. Contributing factors vary and may include economic conditions, increased retirements, and some new graduates not seeking licensure.
TOTAL MEMBERSHIP NUMBERS (broken down by membership category for P.Eng., P.Geo., E.I.T., G.I.T., and other)
75,086
72,019
70,593
80,000
70,000
60,000
50,000
40,000
30,000
20,000
10,000
0
2018
2019
2020
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DID YOU KNOW?
Active permit-holding companies performing engineering and geoscience work in Alberta grew slightly, to 4,619 in 2022 from 4,511 in 2021. The five-year average is 4,582 . TOTAL ACTIVE PERMIT HOLDERS 2021 4,511 2022 4,619
Approximately 31 per cent of new members in 2022 were internationally trained.
Fifty-four per cent of APEGA permit holders employed one registrant and 84 per cent employed two to five registrants.
70,218
68,925
Professional Member (Engineering) Professional Member (Geoscience) Engineer-in-Training
Geoscientist-in-Training
Other
2022
2021
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From professional development webinars to networking events and student outreach, APEGA’s 10 volunteer-run branches engage with our registrants and the public. They are APEGA’s voice in their communities and the voice of our registrants to APEGA. BRANCH ENGAGEMENT In 2022, we created on-demand orientation videos to help new branch volunteers quickly and easily learn about their roles and responsibilities as APEGA ambassadors. Overall attendance for branch activities fell in 2022 compared to our all-time high in 2021. However, participation was still considerably higher than pre-pandemic. Webinars and virtual events have greatly improved accessibility and are especially popular with our registrants in the satellite branches. BRANCHES
The division of executive volunteers in our 10 branches: DID YOU KNOW?
124 103 15 5 1
branch executives (29 female, 95 male) professional engineers
engineers-in-training
professional geoscientists professional licensee (engineering)
29%
new executives in 2022
BRANCH EVENT & ATTENDEES Webinars
Professional Development Events (Online & In Person)
Networking and Social Events (Online & In Person)
Total Event Attendees
2
51
15
3,097
5
44
14
2,595
19
34
1
5,109
51
55
5
14,356
22
32
24
8,589
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SOME OF OUR MOST WELL-ATTENDED BRANCH WEBINARS:
FORT McMURRAY
Pathways to Net Zero 208 attendees
PEACE REGION
EDMONTON
YELLOWHEAD
LAKELAND
Economic Outlook and Investing Strategies for Today’s Market 237 attendees
CALGARY
Fundamentals of Sustainable Remediation 439 attendees
VERMILION RIVER CENTRAL ALBERTA
LETHBRIDGE
Steam-Assisted Gravity Drainage, Upgrading, Refining, and Carbon Capture 534 attendees MEDICINE HAT
Survey Mapping and Modelling with LiDAR
303 attendees
OTHER NOTABLE BRANCH ACTIVITIES:
Golf tournaments at nine locations, including the sold-out Edmonton Branch event
Return of in-person industry tours, including a sold-out tour of the Eagle Builders facility in Central Alberta
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WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE: Our members are recognized for their professional expertise and contributions to society. THE HOW OF WOW Engineers + Geoscientists make it possible. Every great endeavour begins with a question: How? How big can we go? How far can we advance? How in the world can we do this? How can we do this better ?
29,880 page views
Our public awareness campaign, The How of Wow, demonstrates how APEGA engineering and geoscience professionals and permit holders are raising the bar and making even the most unimaginable feats a reality. • Our howofwow.ca website features remarkable engineering and geoscience ingenuity, innovations, and advances underway right here in Alberta. The site had about 29,880 page views in the past year. •We boosted public awareness through advertising and billboard campaigns, which were displayed almost 51.9 million times.
51.9 million Impressions
GEOTHERMAL ENERGY PROJECT, SWAN HILLS FutEra Power is using waste hot water, harvested from the company’s oil and gas production wells, to generate geothermal energy for Alberta’s power grid. This co-production system—the first of its kind in Canada—will offset up to 31,000 tonnes of carbon emissions annually. “What we are ultimately doing is making something out of nothing by taking advantage of existing infrastructure and hot water reservoirs to deliver sustainable power and transition legacy oil and gas wells to green energy production.”
– Lisa Mueller, president and CEO, FutEra Power
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LETHBRIDGE EXHIBITION AGRI-FOOD HUB AND TRADE CENTRE, LETHBRIDGE This new facility is the largest development in the city’s history. The engineering team meticulously found efficient and creative ways to design a facility on budget without compromising quality or performance. “This project changed my perspective on how to come together as a group and drill down on every element, from estimates to designs, to accomplish something that will have a major impact on the Lethbridge community.”
— Blair Grier, P.Eng., MB2 Management
COLUMBIA ICEFIELD SKYWALK, JASPER NATIONAL PARK Floating 280 metres above the Sunwapta Valley floor, the Skywalk is a sleek, horizontal horseshoe of glass and steel, anchored deep into a mountain rockface. Thanks to the award-winning design, visitors experience jaw-dropping views from heart-pounding heights. “There’s a thrill to it. A sense of adventure and danger. An experience that allows you to feel like you’re doing something that’s a little bit scary within the bounds of safe engineering.”
— Geoff Kallweit, P.Eng., RJC Engineers
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WEST CALGARY RING ROAD, CALGARY The north portion of the West Calgary Ring Road includes construction of 20 bridges, two interchanges, and a partial bridge rehabilitation—all built over and around the TransCanada Highway. EllisDon completed the work while the TransCanada remained open to free- flowing traffic. “The logistics of building Highway 1 while maintaining and operating the highway throughout long weekends, throughout the summer at the busiest times of the year—we have to keep traffic flowing safely and efficiently.”
– Luke Denton, P.Eng., EllisDon
ROXY THEATRE, EDMONTON After the city’s iconic Roxy Theatre burned to the ground, professionals resurrected the historic landmark on the same hallowed ground. With two full theatres and a rehearsal area, the new building is a tiny but mighty world-class performance venue. “It’s a key lynchpin of the local community and has been for decades on decades, but now as a new, modern, state-of-the-art building.”
— Robert Prybysh, P.Eng., Arrow Engineering
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